UK Man In Court Over Killing Of Indian Student

Shares

January 2, 2012 5:18PM (UTC)

LONDON (AP) — A 20-year-old British man charged with the murder of an Indian student said in court that his name was "Psycho" during an appearance Monday.

Kiaran Stapleton was charged with shooting 21-year old Anuj Bidve on Dec. 26 in a seemingly unprovoked attack in the northern city of Salford. Police are investigating whether the crime was racially motivated.

Advertisement:

Stapleton appeared at the City of Manchester Magistrates Court. When asked to state his name, he said, "Psycho. Psycho Stapleton."

Prosecutor Ben Southam said Stapleton will be held in custody for 24 hours and sent to Manchester Crown Court, which deals with murder cases.

Bidve was from the western Indian city of Pune and enrolled in a postgraduate course in microelectronics at Lancaster University in northern England. He was on a holiday break with a group of nine friends when he was shot. He had arrived in Britain just three months ago.

Two Greater Manchester Police officers have flown to India to meet with Bidve's family.

His father, Subhash Bidve, has criticized how British and Indian authorities have handled the case. He found out about his son's death on Facebook before U.K. police could contact him.

A candlelit memorial service for Bidve is set for Monday evening in the street where he was shot, while a peace march has been organized in India, starting near Nehru Park in New Delhi and finishing at the British Embassy.